


War Drums Beat

by flowersforgraves



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Aftermath of Torture, Awkward Conversations, Family Feels, Hugs, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Post-Tommy Exile Arc, Villain Dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:14:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28817643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersforgraves/pseuds/flowersforgraves
Summary: Phil knows Tommy's hiding something.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45





	War Drums Beat

**Author's Note:**

> Content warnings: Non-graphic discussion of Dream torturing and manipulating Tommy. Self-victim blaming.
> 
> Thanks to zinc_carpenter for the beta and advice!  
> -
> 
> This is a work of fiction depicting the in-universe Minecraft personas of the relevant YouTubers/streamers. It is not meant to reflect anything about the real people themselves. None of the streamers whose personas are mentioned in this fic have my permission to use this work in any content.

Phil knows Tommy’s hiding something. The way he jerks back when Phil reaches out – even if it’s just to hand the kid a glass of water or something – that’s not normal. The way his voice pitches too loud when someone brings up Dream, the way his hands shake slightly when Phil gives him a knife and asks him to chop potatoes for dinner, the way Ghostbur keeps bringing Tommy little trinkets… there’s something deeply, horribly wrong, and Phil is about 95% sure it’s got to do with Dream and the exile. 

Technoblade comes to him after Tommy and Ranboo head out to explore Phil’s backyard. He thinks Techno’d probably prevailed upon Ranboo to get Tommy out of the house, so when Technoblade draws a chair up to Phil’s, he sets down his tinkering and turns to give Techno his full attention. “Are you about to tell me you think something happened to Tommy?” he asks.

Technoblade’s face barely changes, but he nods. “Yeah. Phil, I think Dream fucked him up somehow. Manipulated him even more than we thought.”

“I think so too,” Phil says. “And I’m pretty sure Ranboo knows something’s wrong too.”

“You should talk to him,” Technoblade says. “You’re old enough to be his dad, right?”

Phil snorts. “Fuck you,” he mutters good-naturedly. 

Techno leans forward and puts a hand on Phil’s shoulder. For Techno to initiate any sort of physical contact is a deep intimacy, and Phil meets his eyes in acknowledgement of it. “Phil, I don’t want to go to war for Tommy. But if you can drag it out of him that you need to, I’m behind you all the way.”

He nods. “I understand.”

Because of course it is, the drama of the moment is interrupted by the door slamming open. Ranboo and Tommy come tumbling into the house, out of breath and half-laughing, and Techno jerks back as if burned. Phil smiles at them, tension building in his chest, and hates that he’s going to have to break the good mood.

“Tommy,” Phil says, “I wanted to ask you a couple questions about your time in exile.”

A chill hush settles over the room. Technoblade leans forward again. “I didn’t mean _now_ ,” he hisses.

Phil throws him a look.

Tommy flinches. “What the fuck? Why would you want to know shit about that?”

Phil raises his hands, conciliatory. “Son, no offense, but – you don’t seem like you’re okay sometimes.”

Tommy shudders convulsively. “I was fuckin’ exiled, bitch, I don’t know what you expect. Nothing’s fucking wrong, I just spent a lotta time alone.” There’s something wavery in his voice, and Phil almost regrets starting this conversation at all.

But he pushes, because if he’s already started he might as well go all in. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to expect,” he says flatly. “But you’re not okay. What happened out there?”

“Fuck you,” Tommy says. His face twists. “I don’t wanna talk about it. I told you before I don’t wanna talk about it, so you can shut the fuck up, okay?”

Ranboo hunches his shoulders defensively, like he’s trying to protect himself from the argument that’s about to spark. “Please,” he says, and Phil’s not quite sure if he’s asking Tommy to speak or Phil to stop.

Apparently, Tommy takes it as Ranboo siding with Phil. “I said fuck off,” he snarls. “I’m not going around asking you what your fucking, old man knees are like, so why the fuck are you interrogating me?” 

Phil shuts the door out of the main room. “We’re going to have this conversation now,” he says. “You don’t get to run away this time.”

“Dream did some shit to me, okay?” he snaps. “He hit me a bunch and punished me for shit I did. It’s fine now, I got what I deserved. Is that what you wanted to hear?” His tone is vicious, poisoned, and Phil almost flinches back from it. 

Techno gently tugs on Phil’s sleeve, urging him to sit down. Phil pulls the chair around and sits down slowly, realizing as he does so that his height is only going to serve to intimidate Tommy further. “Dream hit you?” he asks carefully.

Tommy shrugs. “Yeah. Whatever.” He shudders again, wrapping his arms around himself and sinking to the floor. “He said that if he was gonna be my friend, he’d have to still punish me. He said, ‘I have to. You know that, right? As much as I want to, I can’t keep being your friend without recognizing what you did.’ And then he hurt me.”

“Hurt you,” Phil repeats, still gentle. He’s trying desperately to stay in control of his voice, and he’s not sure it’s succeeding.

“It wasn’t that bad. There were knives and stuff, but most of the time it was fine. He just liked to use knives on me. Said he was trying to bleed the criminal outta me.” Tommy goes quiet, reflecting, and Phil’s stomach twists.

Thank fuck for Technoblade. Phil swallows several times, trying to get past the bile rising in his throat, but Techno speaks first, sounding more level and controlled than Phil knows he could. “Dream used knives to torture you.”

“No!” Tommy looks up far too quickly. “It wasn’t like that. He had to. He couldn’t just sit around and shoot the shit with me, he had to keep on punishing me.”

“Exile is punishment,” Phil says, voice cracking slightly. “That’s called _torture_.” 

Of all things, that’s the one that makes Tommy break. The tears that had been threatening before now spill down his face, and he takes a hiccuping breath before he sobs, burying his face in his knees. “No,” he whispers, “no, it’s not torture, ‘cause I deserved it. I just let him do shit.”

Ranboo makes a tiny distressed noise in the back of his throat. As much as Phil wants to turn to look at him, he can’t bear to take his eyes off Tommy. Then, Ranboo makes the move Phil has been wanting to from the start.

“Tommy, it’s okay now,” Ranboo says, scooping him up into a tight hug. “Dream’s not gonna be here and we’re going to help you get through it.”

“You didn’t _let_ him do anything,” Technoblade adds, voice low. “If Dream wanted to use a knife on you he would’ve found a way. This was just the thing he said to you that worked.”

Tommy is clinging to Ranboo so hard it must be painful. “He was the only person I saw for so long,” he mumbles, and half-sobs again. “I would’ve done anything to keep him around. I was going nuts out there by myself. I – I don’t know if there’s anything he could’ve asked me to do that I wouldn’t’ve done.”

Phil chokes on the words he’s about to say as rage fills him. He finally manages to wrench his gaze from Tommy, and turns to the side to spit derisively on the floor. “Dream is a fucking piece of garbage,” he says, which is possibly the understatement of the century. “You didn’t deserve that, Tommy, and I’m sorry he convinced you that you did.”

Slowly, too slowly, Tommy peers at him over Ranboo’s shoulder. “You’re not – you’re not angry?”

Beside him, he can feel Techno reining in his temper with deep, even breaths. “No, we’re not angry,” Phil says, feeling the unreality of the moment set in. “Nobody’s angry with you.”

Ranboo hugs him tighter. “You’re our friend, Tommy,” he says. “I know Dream said he was your only friend, but that’s not true. You’re my friend too.”

Technoblade clears his throat, and Phil turns to face him. “So?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Phil says. “I think we’re going to war.”


End file.
